Defeating Dragons
by NyleveLlama
Summary: Alfred is a knight in rusted armor. Arthur is a bitter, lonely dragon living in the mountain. It's the perfect set up for a typical fairy tale in a perfect world. But some people aren't happy with their roles and the story begins to go awry. This is no typical fairy tale. Rated T for mild violence. USUK.
1. Chapter 1

_**Defeating Dragons**_

* * *

 **One.**

Alfred roused himself several hours before dawn and ate a light breakfast of dry bread and cheese. He grimaced as he gnawed on the food, longing for something fresh and warm but he knew better than to start a fire. Not this far up the mountainside. Once he finished his meal, he packed up his supplies and stuffed the rucksack in a moss covered log. If he survived this mission he would come back this way to retrieve his things, they would only be a burden to him until then.

The young man stood and shook out the thick leather jerkin that replaced a chain mail shirt, he wasn't nearly rich enough to buy anything that elaborate nor was he under any employment that handed out such under-armor. The padded leather suited him well enough though, and it was probably more practical than metal in this situation. He pulled the pale yellow jerkin over his head and tugged it across his torso firmly. Then he began to buckle on the armor.

It was a rusted metal, well worn from use and very plain. Although it didn't look pretty, Alfred knew that it was sturdy as it had saved his life countless times. He felt proud wearing it, even if other people laughed. He was lucky enough to have trashed armor like this.

Once the armor was secured, he picked up his belt and buckled it around his waist, a broadsword and dagger hanging on each side of his hips. Alfred picked up his helmet last and began the long trek up the mountain.

The ground was covered by a thick layer of leaves and damp earth, the trees grew tall but not as lush as the forest below. Dotted on the landscape were huge boulders protruding out of the earth, brown and green from the thick moss that clung to the hard surface. Alfred took notice of how different this mountain was in comparison to the ones he heard in stories. He imagined them to be towers of nothing but golden rock, painted almost red by the hues of the hot sun, dry and brittle. The mountains of the north did not fit that description at all. They were green and wet, growing colder as the sky got closer, the sun completely obscured by clouds and fog. It was beautiful, but a very different beautiful than fantasized and Alfred would've preferred the warmth of the sun to this miserable shade.

It took nearly two hours before the trees thinned and Alfred found the dwelling of the beast. He was sure to keep quiet, the slippery moss muffling his boots as he crept along the cluster of rocks before the mouth of the cave. The cave was also very unlike the stories, there was no clearing or great entrance boasting that an evil creature lived here and wished to challenge those who dared approach. In fact, the entrance of the cave was fairly well hidden among the groves of the rock formation. A green hole dipping into the earth was the doorstep and its door was an abnormally shaped black hole, concealed under a large rock overhanging it. Alfred would've missed it himself if he hadn't known where he was going. It was amazing how secretive and hidden such a large creature could be.

As silent as a mountain cat, Alfred dropped into the hole and crept to one side of the entrance. Judging by the lack of response and the low moan of the wind, the hole was quite deep, possibly leading right to the heart of the mountain. The young knight hesitated, weighing the odds of this development.

He was at a major disadvantage. There was no good fighting ground outside the cave and he certainly didn't want to be trapped in this hole. It was possible he could lure the beast out but he had no idea how deep that cave ran so there was no guarantee the bait would even disturb its occupants. Yet, if he went inside in search of the creature he hunted, he would be at greater risk. He could get lost in the dark, wandering the caves of the mountain for years before ever seeing sunlight, at that thought he shuddered. And the beast would be fighting on its home turf where it was most familiar with the common ground and dangers.

Alfred huffed in frustration, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly. Many assumed he wasn't a thinker and maybe he wasn't, but he could see a bad situation when it was in front of him. Finally he shrugged off all doubt and began to climb down into the darkness.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **2016 has not been a good year for me so far. I've been dealing with a lot of stress and a lot of...sad stuff. It's been rough.**

 **I haven't updated any of my multichapter fics, only one I feel guilty about. I do plan to continue "By Our Strength" soon, I just don't know when but it's not going to be today. So instead I started writing this as a stress reliever and to get my writing juices flowing (that sounds a tad bit gross). The narrative is supposed to be bland, the plot is very nonexistent...but it won't stay this way. There is a reason it's like this, there is a point, but it won't be revealed until later. If this goes as I planned, the chapters will grow a little longer and the plot more complex overtime. But for now you have very short chapters to look forward to. And eventual USUK.**

 **Merry belated Christmas, Happy New Year, and I hope all of my faithful readers are doing much better than I currently am. Hopefully, I'll be updating soon (either on this or "By Our Strength"). Until next time.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Two.**

It was colder and wetter inside the mountain. Alfred steadied himself against the slippery wall of the cave as he descended, leaning back as the rock underneath his boots slopped steeper with each step. He slipped several times and nearly tumbled down the shaft but always caught himself. He would freeze, his heart pounding in his mouth as he listened to the echoes bellow his mistake into the dark. Only after those echoes faded into completely silence did Alfred continue.

Minutes crawled agonizingly as he climbed down, tripping over rocks and sliding on slender puddles of water. The light from the mouth of the cave grew smaller and higher until it was only a dot. Alfred resisted the urge to look back, his eyes were growing adjusted to the darkness. But by the time he finally gave in to the screaming urge to look back, the light was gone and he was alone in the dark.

The ground hadn't become level yet, it still tunneled downward, but the cave was growing wider in size, the ceiling remaining only a few feet above Alfred's head. The young man pressed onward. At last, after forty more paces into the dark, he found a side tunnel. It was by accident the he stumbled across it, if he hadn't had his hand on the wall he wouldn't have found it. All he knew was that the wall disappeared and the ground beside it rose unusually. He had to stare at it for several minutes before he could make out its shape.

The tunnel was circular and crooked, the entrance was closer to the ceiling than the floor and it seemed to run parallel to the main tunnel before meandering off on its own course into the mountain. The rock was hard under his hand, Alfred wasn't sure if this tunnel had been made or simply had been formed by nature. He debated for a moment what to do before continuing on his way. Alfred was more concerned about getting lost forever than about a monster creeping up behind him.

On his way down, he found a couple of other tunnels, smaller and similar to the first one. But he persistently stuck with the main one, reasoning that he could explore the smaller ones later. Bats fluttered overhead occasionally but otherwise the cave was undisturbed by Alfred's presence, the sound of trickling water magnified by the rock surface. At last, the ground rose level and the young knight could stand straight again. He shuffled forward and stepped into a wide open space.

Squinting, he could see pillars of rock rising out of the ground like trees, reaching for the ones that dangled from the ceiling. The ground was uneven and peddled with rocks but it was the flattest surface he had come across on this entire mountain. Alfred shuffled forward for several feet before a loud splashing sound echoed suddenly, water filled his boots.

It was an underground lake.

The young knight stepped back and crouched by the entrance of the vast room, shaking out his boots as best he could. Climbing into the cave reaped its rewards, this was the best fighting ground he had come across and there was water. Every living being needed water to survive and eventually the monster would come for a drink. It would be the perfect ambush. All he had to do was sit and wait.

Alfred pulled the helmet over his head and prayed silently that the beast was thirsty.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Such an interesting chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Three.**

It was the slither, the sound of something soft brushing the rock walls, that alerted Alfred of the creature's presence. He held his breath and could only hope that he didn't smell too strongly of human. He had already drawn his sword a long time ago, so that the movement wouldn't give him away. Surprise was his greatest advantage, it would turn into an ugly battle should he lose that element. Alfred gripped the hilt tightly and held his breath, excitement fluttering like a cluster of butterflies in his stomach.

The beast slithered closer down the tunnel until Alfred could see it poke its head into the cavern. Its scales were dark and they glistened like silk, the head was pointed away so Alfred couldn't see its eyes. It moved further, showing its long neck with the thin trail of spikes running along the top.

 _Now!_

Alfred leapt forward and brought his sword down on the scaly neck. But he wasn't as quick as the beast. It darted forward, his blade hitting a well armored shoulder. The dragon was smaller than Alfred had originally anticipated but it was still dangerous; it had known that an intruder was hiding. Its head swung around and Alfred frantically ducked, tripping and falling on his back. He caught a glimpse of bright yellow eyes with forest green irises, like a cat's. Then he saw teeth, as large and sharp as daggers, snapping at where his head was only a few seconds ago. Alfred swung his blade and the dragon screeched, recoiling. That gave the knight enough time to stumble to his feet, keeping his sword pointed at the head of the monster.

The dragon hissed at him, its back arched with the leathery wings tucked against its back, tail lashing. Alfred quickly took note to watch for the tail just as the beast lunged again. Alfred instinctively jerked away from the jaws of the beast, only to find his back pressed firmly against the rock wall. Desperately, he swung his blade up, intending to impale the monster through its mouth.

Luck was not on his side.

His sword made contact with a sharp tooth, halting the motion from harming the creature. It howled at the contact and withdrew, although not before another one of its fangs slipped into a crevice of his armor and sliced his shoulder. Alfred clenched his jaw and pushed off the wall, circling the dragon. The young knight could feel warmth blossom and trickle down his arm, the sword in his hands became heavier.

The dragon licked its fangs with its thin, forked tongue. It hissed and crouched in a feline fashion, the spikes on its back were like risen hackles. Alfred had made it angry.

The knight didn't wait for the beast to attack. He boldly ran forward, letting loose a loud cry that echoed throughout the cavern. The creature jolted, as if in surprise, and scurried back, Alfred could hear splashes as its hind feet submerged in water. Using this to his advantage, Alfred swung the blade, slicing the softer skin on its neck. The dragon roared in pain. But before the knight could fell the beast with the final blow, the dragon swung up on its hind legs, claws lashing out and hitting Alfred directly in the chest.

The force of the blow threw him back and his sword flew out of his grip. Alfred let out a strangled cry, scrambling to his feet as he looked for the weapon. There. He started to run for it, but the beast caught onto his intentions and quickly darted between him and the sword. Alfred skid to an abrupt halt and slowly backed up, the thing hissing and spitting at him as it slowly stalked closer.

Alfred was helpless. He had his knife, but what good could it do against a fire-breathing, armored-skinned giant lizard? He visibly gulped, weighing the odds. He was a goner. There only were a few seconds before the dragon finished him off.

Heart pounding in his ears, Alfred realized he needed time. So with that, he turned and dove straight into the lake. Sound was muffled, bubbles rose around his fingers tickling his skin, the armor was dragging him down. Frantically, Alfred kicked the water and swam desperately. His lungs burned far worse than any fire. He was going to drown.

The knight's fingers brushed rock and he pulled himself up, gasping and coughing. As soon as he was on solid ground, he tore off the armor, spinning around as he tried to catch his bearings. Somehow he had managed to swim to a rocky cluster out in the darkness of the water. He could still see the shore, and he could still see the beast. It stood there, its wrathful green eyes staring directly at him, burning with frustration.

Alfred shivered. He was safe...for now.

Hunkering behind the rocks, he stared back at the dragon. It tossed its head and huffed, pacing the edge of the water. It didn't dare try to cross. Several long minutes passed like this, the creature growing more frustrated before it was suddenly very still. Then, almost nonchalantly, it crouched and began to lap at the water surface.

Dread filled Alfred's stomach at the anticipation of some kind of trickery. But nothing happened. It just drank its fill before standing back up and moving to the cave entrance. Slowly, realization dawned on Alfred as it circled a spot multiple times before it lay down, those penetrating green eyes staring wickedly at him.

Alfred may be safe, but there was nowhere for him to go. He was trapped.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **I guess I'm having a good day XD So many updates at once. Wowzah.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Four.**

Low moaning of the wind wafted through the caves, it the was the only sound aside from the occasional _plick_ of a water drop. Alfred stirred from his curled up position against the large rock, blinking blearily before realizing that he had fallen asleep. Alarmed, he sat up and looked over the lake.

The dragon was still there, staring at him unblinkingly with the same smug expression in its eyes.

A single finger of chill trailed down Alfred's spine and he shivered. He had no idea how much time had passed or how long he had slept. It was unsettling to know that the beast had watched him tirelessly throughout. The young knight wrapped his arms tightly over his chest and hunkered behind the rock again, trying to keep out of the dragon's sight.

Coming into the cave in the first place had been a bad idea. Now he was stranding without a change of dry clothes, and he had no food. There were a few times he drank a handful of water, it was crystal clear and refreshing. But nothing could replace food, Alfred's stomach growled loudly just at the thought of a hot meal. He promised himself that he would never complain about rations again if he got out of this situation alive. Which was looking to be very unlikely the more time passed.

Alfred shivered and pressed a hand against his shoulder, wincing. Of course there was an even bigger problem aside from the lack of food. His shoulder was still bleeding, very slowly now but that didn't mean he was safe. The darkness prevented him from examining the wound, he couldn't tell if it was infected and there was nothing he could do to stop from bleeding to death. All of his medical supplies were with his food, stuffed in a log in the middle of nowhere.

Alfred sat up a little and peeked over the boulder again. The dragon was still there.

Frustrated, Alfred made a noise in the back of his throat before muttering to himself, "don't you have to go hunt or something?"

His words were amplified by both the vast cavern ceiling and the water, the sound of his voice startled him. But what made him jolt and yelp in pain and shock was when he was answered.

"I am hunting."

The voice came out like purr, silky but with a throaty rumble. The words themselves sounded strange without the abnormality of the voice, each letter was rounded so crisply it was almost attractive. Almost.

Alfred shook as he frantically looked around for the source of the voice, but there was no one around him other than rocks, water and the dragon. The knight suddenly went very still before looking at the creature in horror.

Its lips were curled back in a nasty grin, showing its rows of sharp teeth, wicked eyes glinting smugly over that smile. The dragon's tail flicked slowly, like a cat ready to pounce.

"For a knight, you aren't very bright," it said.

Alfred could feel his lips move, but no sound came from him. He coughed nervously before trying again. "C'mere and say that to my face, you bozo!"

He grimaced to himself. _Great, just had go and make it angry on top of everything else why don'tya_ , he thought.

However, the dragon didn't seem upset by this comment at all. In fact, its tail curled against its body and those scaly lips pulled back further on its snout. Then a low rumble filled the cavern, it took Alfred a minute to realize that it was laughing. The knight could feel his face burn in humiliation, they both knew who had the upper hand in this situation.

"Daft and exceedingly foolish," the dragon finally said, its tone dripping in mirth. "No wonder you're a knight."

"And you're super annoying, no wonder you're stuck in a mountain by yourself," Alfred retorted.

"I'm not the one who is stuck," the dragon pointedly reminded him.

Alfred felt a flicker of anger at those words but he noticed how bristled the dragon seemed now, the amusement was gone from its eyes and body language. Doing his best to hold back a triumphant smile, the young knight glared back at the now sullen creature.

"I'm stuck against my will instead of cowering the dark, unlike you."

The dragon growled now, tail lashing. "Don't you dare speak of things you don't know of."

"I don't know, it seems pretty clear to me," Alfred turned, leaning against the rock as he casually propped his arms against it, a hot rod of pain shooting up his shoulder and neck at the movement. He forced himself to ignore the pain and keep his expression still. "What I see is a pitiful creature, hiding in the dark and snacking on bats that keeps it company. When you get bored you go out on a field trip and kill a few towns. Eat the livestock, burn the crops. Maybe bring a damsel or two back to this miserable hole."

In a flash, the dragon was on its feet, roaring at him. It took all of Alfred's willpower not to flinch, the sight of that giant maw was terrifying, let alone the thunderous sound it was making. The roar echoed deafeningly in the cavern while the dragon and Alfred glared at each other. Then it lay down in the entrance of the cavern again, maintaining its stare without another word.

Alfred felt his stomach sink. There was no getting past that creature, and if there was anything to prove from this conversation was that Alfred couldn't trick it away from the exit.

The knight numbly slid back behind the rock. He had to get out of here, preferably leaving the dragon dead. Although the chances of that were growing ever slimmer. Alfred groaned softly to himself, putting his hand back over his wound. He wished he had never entered the cave.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **To Starfins: Alfred knows now XD**


	5. Chapter 5

**Five.**

It was the cave bats that gave Alfred the idea. He hadn't even realized their presence until a few fluttered from behind the dragon and toward the ceiling. Crouched behind his rock, Alfred watched them blend into the black above him. The idea was crazy, but it was his only changed. The knight could only prayed the dragon hadn't anticipated such insanity.

Being careful so as to not be seen or heard, Alfred slowly pulled his armor together. In the darkness it was the easiest thing to see, the dull metal glinting dimly at the smallest source of light. The knight quickly pulled off his leather belt, tying the pieces together in a bundle. It was difficult without making too much noise. Every time his hands slipped and the metal banged, Alfred intentionally kicked the rocks in an attempt to cover up the noise. He had to untangle the empty sheath and toss it aside. It was useless. He did, however, take the knife and tucked it securely in his boot.

After making sure the bundle of armor was secure, Alfred peeked out from behind the rock. The dragon hadn't moved an inch, its frosty stare still directed toward him. It seemed to have calmed down somewhat from Alfred's insults, although its eyes narrowed at their gazes locked. The young man ducked behind the rock, breathing heavily.

It was still mad. Good. That increased his changes of escape.

Shifting, Alfred felt around in the dark before his fist closed around an apple sized rock. He weighed it in his hand, going over his plan one more time in his head. It really was a crazy idea. Then Alfred mustered all of his strength and threw his arm straight up, propelling the rock from his grip. There was only a few seconds before there was an audible _clink_ as the rock hit the ceiling.

The bats swarmed like a mass of angry bees, creating a thick cloud of black leathery wings. Like Alfred had hoped, they all frantically mobbed the entrance of the cave, effectively distracting the dragon. The knight could hear it shift and growl loudly, he knew he had only a matter of seconds before it would resume its vigil. Without wasting anymore time, Alfred grabbed the bundle of armor and swung it into the lake before diving into the water in the opposite direction.

Murky shapes was all he could see but he persistently kept beneath the surface, kicking the water steadily. It was much easier to swim without the burden of the armor, although a flicker of mourning ran through him at loosing his hard-earned suit. Alfred knew he was in the shallows when the rocky surface slopped toward the surface and he carefully lifted his head above water.

As he had hoped, the dragon ankle deep in the surface of the lake, staring furiously where his armor had sunk. Alfred grinned, he knew the dragon would have easily seen its glint, even without light. Slowly, he pulled himself onto the surface and dashed toward the exit.

Considering how his plans before that point had turned out, the knight should have known his hope was short lived.

The beast suddenly swung around, its tail lashing out. Alfred only had a second to panic before the brute force of the scaled tail knocked him off his feet. He landed a few feet away from the exit, right on an oddly shaped rock. The dragon completed its turn, roaring deafeningly as it began its charge at the helpless knight. Alfred pushed himself upright and it was only then that he realized that he hadn't landed on a rock. He desperately groped for it, the dragon was nearly on top of him, it's giant claws reaching for him. Heart pounding, Alfred swung the object from underneath him, crying out wordlessly in desperation.

Somehow, the sword broke past the scales along the creature's arm and dug into soft flesh, the sickening sound of vessels spurting resounding in Alfred's ears. The dragon screeched at a note the young man had never heard before, and it backed away, tucking its leg underneath it with the sword still buried in it.

Alfred rolled onto his stomach and pushing himself to his feet, sprinting into the tunnel of the cave. He expected the dragon to be roaring and shrieking in pain, or at least to be chasing after him. He refused to look back, but he heard neither action. Pushing aside the thought, Alfred climbed up the slope as fast as possible. Heat suddenly flooded the tunnel and Alfred knew why the dragon wasn't roaring. Hair raised, he sped up but it was impossible to escape the wave of flames that suddenly broke out behind him.

Smoke filled his lungs, his eyes watered and smarted until he had to close them, the heat was searing all along his back. But he refused to stop running. Suddenly he burst out of the mouth of the cave. Panting, he pulled himself out of the hole leading to its entrance and tumbled down the mountainside. His legs hurt, everything hurt, he couldn't see, he could barely hear the sound of his own raged breathing. Racing, stumbling, mindlessly and aimless. He just had to get away.

Alfred wasn't sure if he had tripped or if his legs gave out. All he knew was that his face met the earth and then darkness took him.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Thank you to all who followed, for the favorites, and for your reviews. Hopefully the action makes up for the shortness of the chapter. Yeah, I know I said mild violence...lemme know if that was too much.**

 **In reply to:**

 **-P3ace9797: This isn't _Twilight_ , dear. lol jk. I think Alfred would lose a staring competition, I can't imagine him being able to sit still long enough. XD**

 **-Starfins: That saying is about to take a whole new meaning. XD You'll see what I mean in the next chapter.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Six.**

Pain throbbed throughout Alfred's body, it ached deep in his bones and flared on his skin. It was the first thing he was aware of when he came to. The second thing he knew was that he could hardly move. His limbs felt heavy, skin pulled tight around him. He knew that any attempt to move would create more pain than he was already feeling. From what he could tell around him, he was still in the forest, so lying still didn't seem like a bad idea. Until he remembered that getting his supplies and administering medicine to his wounds might be a better idea.

Reluctantly, Alfred opened his eyes.

A ceiling of green foliage was the sight that greeted him, sunlight trickling through the leaves. There was something off about the scene. Alfred stared blankly above him, trying to piece together what exactly it was that disturbed him. The sound of rustling leaves made him ignore his aching muscles and turn his head. It was then he realized what was wrong.

Alfred wasn't actually in the forest. He was in an oddly shaped room that had greenery growing in and around it. From what he could tell he was lying in a nest of soft moss. And beside him, green as the plants around them, was the dragon.

The knight's eyes widened in horror and instantly he pushed himself up, groaning as pain swept through him. The dragon's head whipped around, yellow and green eyes glowing.

"Lie down, you idiot," it snapped.

Alfred ignored it as he stared down at himself, face reddening. He was completely naked. Stunned blue eyes lifted and met the dragon's hard gaze before Alfred went limp and flopped back into the nest. He groaned in pain and humiliation, his body shaking from the effort it took just to sit up.

"W-why haven't you killed me?" Alfred rasped.

He could hear the dragon shift and it was only a moment before its large head loomed over him, looking down at him shamelessly. Alfred didn't want to see the beast but he had no choice.

"Because I don't eat people," it answered bluntly. "Some dragons are quite fond of human meat but I was never particular to it."

"I..." Alfred processed this information, stunned. He had to close his eyes as a resounding throb raked through his head. "Still could've killed me."

There was a moment of silence. Then, "yes, I suppose I could."

Something cool and soft touched his side, Alfred snapped his eyes open with a yelp of surprise. He froze immediately as he saw the dragon had bowed its head close to him and was nuzzling him with its nose. It dipped its head side to side oddly, and before Alfred could realize what it was trying to do, it flipped him onto his stomach. The knight buried his face into the moss. At least he could hide from his shame.

 _Nothing can be worse than this_ , Alfred thought.

Then he felt something warm and moist run up his back, over top the raw burns. He yelped in pain but the sound was muffled. The knight shivered as the administration continued, the dragon licked the burns over his back and shoulders before doing the same to the back of his legs.

 _I take that back_.

Within a moment the dragon finished its task and flipped the knight back over. Alfred bit his lip in order to hold back a groan, glaring at the beast.

"So why am I alive?" he asked impatiently. "There has to be a reason."

The dragon's lips curled, Alfred knew now that it was smirking. "Perhaps you're not so thick after all."

Alfred closed his eyes again, locking his jaw. He was in pain, he had no idea where his weapons were or where he even was. Once again, he was under the dragon's malicious claws with no visible way of escape. And he was two seconds away from disregarding all of that by punching that smug smile off its snout.

"I want you to tell whoever sent you that I'm dead," the dragon said.

Alfred snorted loudly.

"I can still kill you easily."

Alfred suppressed a sigh. Despite the less than desirable company in this definitely morbid situation, he didn't want the conversation to end, however unpleasant it was. There was nothing else to distract him from the pain. He looked back up at the dragon.

"Where's my clothes?" he asked.

Green eyes blinked in surprise. "I took them off."

"I got that," Alfred said impatiently, "where are they?"

"I don't think you'll be able to use them again."

"Why not? I can't even do anything you want me to if I don't have clothes."

The beast shifted, ducking its head almost sheepishly. Alfred starred at the odd sight, a weird feeling bubbling up in his stomach.

"I'm a dragon. How well you think clothes and dragons mix?"

Alfred only continued to stare stupidly at the green scaled creature, slowly mulling over the mystery of what had happened to his garments. He was about to give up guessing when he happened to glance down at those large claws and comprehension filled him. Blue eyes flicked all around the floor of the room and sure enough, piled in a corner, were torn rags.

"Why the hell did you do that?" Alfred growled through clenched teeth.

"I needed to get to your burns. Would you rather I let them be?" the dragon growled back.

"I don't even get why you're treating my wounds!" Alfred ignored the aching pain and lifted his arms, draping them over his face.

"You said it yourself, I need you to function."

The knight let out a frustrated sound, remaining motionless for a moment. Then he finally said, "I need my supplies. I'll leave once I have them."

There was a slithering sound beside him, the dragon was moving from its curled up position in the abnormal room. "Where are they?"

Alfred gave the beast directions to his bag, where to find the log it was hidden in. He was determined not to even look at it as it left, but an odd rhythm of its step broke that resolution. The knight lifted his arms and shifted. The dragon's back was turned toward him as it slowly climbed through a circular hole leading into the room, one of its forelegs tucked up against its underbelly. Alfred wasn't sure why guilt flooded him as he listened to the creature limp away.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **What was the rating again?**

 **In reply to:**

 **-badger: ehh a few stab wounds and some nasty burns. Some bruised egos. They'll be fine...maybe.**

 **-CosmicHetalia: Thank you very much :D I really appreciate the feedback on the style. I feel like I slipped a little on this chapter but eh...hopefully it's to the same standard as before.**

 **-P3ace9797: Good point.**

 **-Starfins: Alfred ain't as dumb as everyone makes him out to be. Unfortunately, things just never seem to go right for this poor knight. And he has a lot to worry about indeed. btw Arthur makes himself cute. I don't know how he manages it.**

 **Thank you all very much for following, for favoriting, and for your awesome reviews!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Seven.**

It was a relief to have clothes again.

Although Alfred still mourned the loss of his protective gear, having a shirt and pants was something he was thankful for. He dressed himself without help. This was a long process as his burns ached with numbing pain down his back and shoulders. But it was worth it to keep those unblinking eyes off his bare skin.

Leaning against the side of the nest, Alfred took a moment to rest. He eyed his bag, suspiciously intact and just within reach. As he pulled it to him and began digging for food, the dragon watched from its crouch position where it had settled on its return. It hadn't moved or spoken for several long minutes. Alfred had only a second of warning before this silence was broken as the beast inhaled deeply.

"Perhaps you should wait another day before traveling," it said.

Alfred flashed a surprised glare at it, a developing reflex. "I thought you wanted me out of here as soon as possible."

The dragon rumbled and inclined its head. "While its preferable, it looks to be unlikely. You won't last long with the pace you're going."

"Thanks but no thanks," Alfred stuffed food in his mouth and shouldered the bag awkwardly. Slowly he pushing himself upright and stumbled his way clumsily out of the nest. He barely made it to the entrance of the cave before his shaking legs gave out and he plummeted. Unexpectedly, his fall was broken by something soft.

The dragon rumbled again pointedly. Alfred didn't grace it with an answer. He was stunned into silence as he realized that the cool silky limb underneath him, lowering him gently to the floor, was its tail. The beast towered over him and caught the nape of his shirt with its teeth. Then, like a mother cat would carry its kitten, the dragon dragged Alfred back to its nest and dropped him inside.

Alfred groaned. Every moment was becoming more humiliating than the last.

"Why are you doing this?"

"I told you repeatedly, I need you to be healthy so you can spread word of my demise," its tail was lashing in irritation.

Alfred shifted so he faced its head. "You don't have to go through all this trouble. If anything you should be forcing me to go even if I was worse than this."

"I am not cruel," green eyes flashed and the dragon growled. "You may be assured that I am a monster...but no more monster than I've already been made."

Alfred grew quiet. It was such an odd concept that a dragon would bestow him more mercy than most other people he'd encountered. He head was physically aching from the realization of it all. The world as he knew it wasn't anything like what he was seeing now. All in a matter of hours, things were spinning out of control and all he knew was that a monster was sparing him. A monster was being kind.

He closed his eyes.

In the wilderness of his mind, he restructured a nearly forgotten memory. The pain of the burns faded into something sharper and new, his limbs became lighter and smaller. He opened his eyes and saw the sky outlining a sneering face. The face was dotted with oily red spots and a crooked nose. Alfred knew that he boy above him had broken his nose in a jousting match. The lips curled before a foot came into view and slammed into Alfred's face. He barely managed to close his eyes in time. He knew the kick would leave a black eye.

"Think you're funny, don't ya?" the boy taunted.

Alfred resisted the urge to curl into himself and opened his eyes again, looking defiantly at his beater. "Yeah, I do. But at least my humor relies on my wit and not on my face."

The boy scowled, visibly processing the insult before fury reddened his pimples. He howled like a wounded animal and his foot slammed in Alfred's face again. Alfred tried to curl into himself but the boy was on him in seconds, mindlessly beating his face and kneeing his stomach. The beating only stopped when the boy was satisfied, his temper spent. Alfred could hear him stand up, could feel the burning saliva on his cheek when he spat. He didn't wipe it off.

"Now we'll see who has the last laugh," the boy finally turned and walked away.

Alfred opened his eyes to a scaly green snout rather than a red pimpled face. He silently marveled at the differences. The boy had been training to be a knight, supposedly to become a man of chivalry and valor. Instead, what was spawned was a selfish brat who bullied all the boys younger and smaller than himself. Even after they had matured into men, Alfred knew that he had grown arrogant and attention seeking, using his position and looks to receive undeserved praise. It was because of him that Alfred wanted to be a knight himself, a real knight. Someone who protected those weaker than them and battled the wrongdoers of the world. Yet when Alfred looked at the dragon above him, he couldn't help but feel that he had been fighting the wrong monster.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **I think it's interesting to note that there was an equal split of sympathy for Arthur and Alfred respectively in the reviews. Amazingly enough, both have valid reasons to be sympathized. Very rarely is there one victim in a situation. Sorry this chapter was short but I hoped you enjoyed regardless!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Eight.**

Alfred drew the line for baths.

He had spent two full days lying in the nest, barely able to move other than sitting up long enough to eat his remaining provisions under Arthur's constant gaze. At first Alfred had been determined to keep his mouth shut, which the dragon seemed fine with, but he quickly got bored and began to talk. At first he was very careful about the information he shared but within no time Alfred found himself confessing things he wouldn't in front of anyone else. Arthur was a good listener.

When Alfred ran out of anything interesting to talk about Arthur would tell him the things he saw while living in the mountain. Occasionally Alfred heard of a few hunting trips but Arthur was evasive about details, the only clear fact was that he was never hear a human village and he never ate people. He kept to himself.

It was during one of these passing conversations when the dragon's snout wrinkled and he stated blandly, "You smell horrid."

Alfred cut himself off mid-sentence, casting Arthur an unamused glance. "Duh? I've been stuck here so I can't exactly wash myself. You keep me stuck here."

"You have to recover in order to travel down the mountain again. But I can't allow to continue, you reek to high heaven." There was a slither as Arthur stood up from his crouch, his tail unwinding from his body.

"Maybe if you let me get up, I could take care of that," Alfred snapped and pushed himself upright, beginning to cast a glare but froze as the creature approached. "Wait, what are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'll bathe you."

"Like hell you will! Don't you try it, you overgrown lizard!"

"I can't stand the smell of your disgusting human odor!" Arthur growled and shoved his snout forward.

With lightning reflexes Alfred drew his hand back and smacked the scaly nose away from him. The dragon recoiled, stunned. The knight let out a shaky breath, secretly glad his strength had recovered enough from him to do so, then pushed himself out of the nest slowly and stood, legs sore and trembling from the effort.

"I need a pool of whatever or something, not the pool you drink from. I'm done with you babying me and I'm going to go home tomorrow."

Arthur's eyes were narrowed with burning fury but he didn't speak. He turned and hobbled into the tunnel, Alfred following behind. They walked in complete silence as the dragon led the knight through the dark maze under the mountain. Gradually they climbed up until Alfred could hear birdsong and then the sun blinded him. Taking a deep breath of fresh air, the knight stepped outside for the first time in days, breathing and savoring the feel on his skin and the sound of life all around. He opened his eyes when he realized one of those sounds was the roaring of rushing water and he quickly followed it before finding a small pool at the base of a waterfall, hidden by the lush green of the trees.

Alfred took a long bath. Most of the time was spent swimming under and around the waterfall, climbing the rocks behind it before jumping back into the water below. He grew tired quicker than normal but he just sat in the shallows of the water and admired the paradise surrounding him.

Once he got out and dried, he dressed and trudged back to the entrance of the tunnel where Arthur was waiting. The dragon moodily turned away as soon as he came into view and led him back to the nesting room. While Arthur immediately retreated into a corner, Alfred crossed the room and dug through his bag, pulling out medical supplies. He approached Arthur cautiously, putting everything down before kneeling, having to give his legs a break.

Arthur regarded him with a testy look of disdain. "What do you think you're doing now?"

"Give me your leg," Alfred ignored the question.

"What for?"

"Give it," the knight reached forward and pulled the limb toward him stubbornly.

Arthur yelped then growled but was ignored. Alfred carefully examined the wound he himself had inflicted. It looked deep, however as far as he could tell not a serious injury. It was probably painful. Carefully, he began to clean and treat the wound, his grip tightening whenever he felt the muscles in the dragon's legs flex as if to pull away. They sat in silence while Alfred worked, meticulous and thorough. Since he didn't have enough bandage to wrap around Arthur's leg enough times to cover it, Alfred constructed a blanket of thick moss and pressed it to the wound to keep it clean, then used what was left of his bandage to tie it in place. Finished, he sat back.

"I figured I should patch you up. It only seems fair since that's what you did for me," Alfred said.

Arthur slowly tucked his leg underneath him, his glinting eyes unreadable. "Chivalry won't get you far with monsters."

"Look, you could've killed me but you didn't! When I attacked you, you were just defending yourself even if you were kinda mean about it. You treated my wounds and let me stay for a few days now, all for the compensation of getting people to leave you alone. Maybe that's fair to you but it doesn't feel that way to me."

Arthur chuckled grimly, his eyes suddenly turning cruel as his lip curled. "A knight indebted to a dragon. How pathetic."

Alfred didn't flinch. "I'm not indebted to you. I'm just doing what I know is right."

That shut the dragon up. Green eyes turned away and Arthur curled up, back turned to him. Alfred sighed heavily and packed up his remaining supplies, which was rapidly shrinking. He'd had to leave tomorrow. As convenient as his time was spent recovering he knew when he overstayed his welcome. The knight stood and stumbled back to the soft nest, collapsing into it just as he fell asleep.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **mreehhh I apologize if this isn't up to normal quality (aka a lot of mechanical errors and bland narrative and such), but I wanted to get something accomplished so here y'all go.**

 **Thank you very much for all your supportive reviews, every one of them makes me really happy (and even smile). Motivation would be long gone if not for the faithful followers who let their presence be known. Thanks again. XD**


	9. Chapter 9

**Nine.**

The very air around him was warm when he woke up, he had the vague impression of being wrapped in a blanket. Alfred opened his eyes and saw shiny green scales.

 _...Huh,_ he thought.

Arthur, temperamental beast and fearsome dragon, was laying curled up like a kitten, surrounding the young knight. His breath rumbled with each inhale and exhale, an undertone of cackling embers audible. Alfred guessed the warmth was coming from the fire deep in the dragon's belly. Slowly, not even thinking about what he was doing, the knight reached out and gently touched the underside of the monster.

Arthur's belly was the lightest shade of green on his body and it was very soft. The scales were so minuscule Alfred was convinced he was touching skin and not armor. Fascinated, he skimmed his fingers over the dragon's stomach. The beast let out a sleepy huff and shifted, exposing more of his tummy to the knight.

Alfred grinned.

Sitting up, he continued to pet the ferocious dragon, holding back laughter as Arthur's rumbles turned into unconscious purrs. He couldn't recall what Arthur looked like in his frightening moments, dagger long teeth and razor sharp claws forgotten, the wickedness burning in those enchanting eyes was no more than a dream. All threat was eliminated by just petting this beast's stomach.

Alfred retracted his hand when Arthur shifted and growled low. He watched, still smiling, as the dragon blinked open his eyes and realization dawned. He couldn't help but laugh. Arthur's head snapped toward him and immediately he pulled away, unfurling his lean body from around the knight.

"I was just tired of you taking up my bed!" Arthur retorted shortly.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Alfred smirked and stood up, stretching slowly. He felt much better than before even though his muscles still ached when he strained himself.

The dragon grumbled moodily, instinctively curling into his own body, tail wrapping around giant claws. He looked like an overgrown disgruntled cat.

"What are you so mad about? I actually don't mind," Alfred said genuinely this time. He pulled the last piece of bread and cheese out of his bag and began to eat his meager breakfast.

"I'm not mad," Arthur replied petulantly. He wasn't looking at the knight.

Alfred suddenly frowned. Even though they had just met Alfred felt like he had known Arthur his whole life because he could pick up on the dragon's moods. They certainly didn't get along very well, especially when either of them was angry at the other, but Alfred actually enjoyed his stay with the dragon. Still, it didn't take much to see that there was something wrong.

"What's eating you?"

Arthur didn't answer. Instead, he shifted and looked at the opposite wall. "You must leave today, I know you don't have anymore food and you should be able to make the journey safely. You might want to bring an artifact to prove that I'm dead."

Suddenly Alfred understood. "How long have you been alone up here?"

Green eyes met his, bitter and still burning. Arthur growled, unwinding his tail as he stood, Alfred briefly caught sight of his makeshift bandage. He got the impression he should have been intimidated, but he wasn't.

"What's it to you how long I've been here in exile? What does it matter that I live alone and will always be living alone? For hundreds of years, perhaps thousands more if I'm not killed! What difference can it make that I'm alive when my death will cause people to rejoice? We are enemies, humans detest dragons and we hate them in return. Why should you care to know what you've done to me, a monster who rightly deserves such cruel punishments?"

Alfred swallowed tightly, barely able to comprehend the injustice. It was hard for him to admit that the people that were his family, friends, his home, were wrong. It was hard to acknowledge that he himself had been wrong. But when he looked at Arthur and saw the hurt in his eyes, the difficulty shrunk in comparison to everything the dragon had faced.

"Arthur, you're not my enemy. You're my friend."

The dragon remained silent, his eyes widening only slightly. Then he lowered his head, a keening sound escaping from his throat before he abruptly cut it off. Alfred watched as the scaled head came nearer until the snout was brushing against his shoulder.

"Please go," Arthur whispered.

Alfred wrapped his arms around the large nose and rested his forehead against Arthur's. "I'm not leaving you alone. I'll find a way where you don't have to hide away in fear anymore, I'll make sure that true justice is done. I'll defend you to my last breath if I have to. I promise."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Sorry it's short and unedited. I'm about to leave on a month long trip so I don't know when I'll be updating next. Thank you everyone for your reviews, for follows, for favorites, aaaannndddd...stuff XD I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Ten.**

Thin wings rustled, trembling in eagerness as Arthur scanned the sky above him, hint of dawn only just beginning to light up the sky. The wilderness sprawled below the edge of the nest while the mountain peaks grazed the horizon above his head, snow capped tops hidden in mist. Today was the day, he would do it for the first time. Today he would fly.

The dragonling tensed the muscles in his wings before extending them. Green eyes nervously flicked back to the small group of sleeping dragons, his nestmates and kin. All were males and thus tempers were fiery, they rarely got along especially since some of them were maturing into full grown adults. Turning his focus back to the sky, Arthur took a deep breath before lifting off the nest. He swooped low over the treetops clumsily before flapping to gain momentum. He swung up, tilted awkwardly, almost tumbled but somehow managed to straighten himself out. Rapidly flapping his wings, he perched on the thick trunk of a tree, his claws gouging into the wood. The dragonling panted at the effort but his heart swelled in pride at his accomplishment. Without any help he had managed to fly.

After a short rest, Arthur took off again, the sky now his goal. Up he ascended, riding on the waves of wind that carried him higher into dizzying exhilaration. Now he could see the first sliver of sun peaking on the edge of the sky, turning the clouds gold with its brilliance. It was beautiful. Everything was beautiful; the sun, the sky, the wind and his wings.

Testing his new-found ability, Arthur chose a random mountain peak and flew as fast as he could toward it. The landing was awkward and his shoulders burned with exertion, but nothing could keep the young dragon from roaring in ecstasy. That done, he curled up on a snow covered rock and admired the view of the rising sun. He must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he knew was the distant ring of voices.

Arthur raised his head and listened, the sounds were echoed off the rocks until it was unintelligible but he could tell it wasn't his brother's voices. He stretched his wings and took off at a gentle glide, descending back down toward the nest.

The first thing he saw was the fire. Smoke coiled and drifted away on the wind as the flames danced and lighted the mountainside angry red. Then he saw them, the humans. They shouted and made frightening noises that could have chilled any dragon's inner furnace while flailing weapons of all kinds. Arthur's nestmates were cornered, awake and furious, roaring and billowing fire from their mouths. Horror and fear dug its poisonous teeth into Arthur's chest and, before he knew what he was doing, he swooped down upon the attackers, a roar straining his throat as he lashed with his claws. Men screamed and scrambled to recover. Arthur's victory was short-lived. The dive proved too much for his inexperienced wings and he tumbled to the floor of the nest, breaking branches and colliding against hard rocks. Before he would even sit up, tangles of nets descended upon him. Arthur roared and writhed, slashing at the ropes in an attempt to escape, only succeeding to trap himself more tightly in the mess. He could hear a piercing roar ring out and then there was a flash of red above him. Twisting, struggling, trying to even stand, the dragonling fought with every ounce of his strength, but that didn't prevent the evil men from taking hold of the edges of the net and begin dragging him away. He screamed for help, he was too young to breathe fire and now was left with no other defense. Over the edge of the nest they drug him, into the cold snow and down a narrow mountain path, slowly getting further and further away.

No help came.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **I'm sorry I took such a long break. I'll be wrapping up the story pretty soon so hopefully I will be responsible and update more often until the end. XD For this chapter, I figured it was time for a little peek into Arthur's past. It's only one piece of a larger picture, but it's enough to explain why Arthur is so secluded.**

 **Thank you everyone for your patience! Also special thanks to everyone who read, followed, favorite-d, and reviewed such nice encouragement. You guys make writing this all the more fun x3 (Also, I hope Starfins doesn't mind me stealing the term "dragonling". It was too cute .).**


	11. Chapter 11

**Eleven.**

Alfred limped and skid down the mountainside with nothing more than a walking stick he had picked up to support himself with and a sharp, razor tooth. The knight couldn't stay under Arthur's protection any longer. The village in the valley were Alfred had first heard the news of the dragon would think him dead and send the next knight in shining armor that came riding along to kill Arthur. They needed to see Alfred alive, to hear his story of defeating the mighty beast, and they needed proof of "its" death. Arthur had refused to let Alfred be near him when he pulled a tooth, although the beastly screeches could be heard miles away. The green dragon returned with the tooth, snake tongue licking blood from its gums and lips. The tooth was as long as a dagger and just as sharp, although the curve of the bone made it easy to hook onto his belt and left him hands free as he climbed back down narrow paths. Alfred could still feel those intense green eyes pierce his back, even though he was nearly at the bottom of the mountain. The knight had hated to go, he could see the small flashes of fear. Arthur was afraid of being abandoned despite all of Alfred's promises to return.

Alfred sighed in relief as the path grew level and the underbrush thinned. Now it would only take an easy march to reach the village and spread the news.

The faces were stunned as he walked along the road and entered the town, many clearly remembered the brash knight from only days ago proclaiming to kill the dragon. Alfred's stomach sank but he forced himself to grin and wave the tooth high over his head. The cheer began softly and then he was the center of a happy crowd, men pat him on the back and pretty ladies swooped to steal a kiss from him. Normally, he would've laughed and cheered and kissed back, but he only managed to paste the grin in place, his fingers curled around the dragon tooth.

No one had any reason to doubt him. Before he realized what was happening, the crowd whisked in a giant current pulling toward the tavern, where the owner graciously let the drinks flow like a river and celebrations began. Arthur's death was a reason to rejoice. Alfred answered as many questions as he dared, a tankard of some intoxication was thrust into his hands but he didn't drink. _How did you manage to defeat it? Were you seriously injured? Did it have any jewels in its lair? Any remains of the beast's previous victims? Tell us of the battle!_ For once the knight floundered for an explanation, searching for an answer just as earnestly as the villagers were.

"Ladies, gentlemen, there is plenty of time to know the tale. Can't you see the brave knight's exhaustion? It must have been a ferocious battle indeed, and we needn't make him fight for his words."

The crowd around Alfred pulled apart as a tall man with long long hair and a stubble beard walked through. He stood out from the villagers, mostly because of his rich looking clothes, which were plain in design but expensive in material. His features were handsome and striking, a large pointed nose and sparkling sapphire eyes, his very was naturally beautiful in a precise way. The man stepped beside Alfred and tapped a glass to his tankard.

"To our brave knight and his victory!"

As the villagers cheered again, the man bent slightly and whispered in Alfred's ear, "If you don't drink, people will become suspicious. How is Arthur, by the way?"

Alfred's mouth dropped open in disbelief and he turned to the stranger. The man's lips curled into a knowing smile and he winked at the knight before wrapping an arm around his shoulder. Suggesting to the crowd that a dance would be fine, he pulled Alfred along until they managed to duck outside into the privacy of the fenced yard behind the tavern. With a flourish, the man swept his cape over his shoulder and sat at one of the tables arranged on a stone walk serving as a patio, placing his cup of purple wine on it.

"We'll have a moment of privacy here, although I'm sure it won't last long," he said, still smiling. "You are the man of the hour and soon many a lady will want to dance with you."

"How do you know about Arthur?" Alfred refused to sit, mindlessly clutching the tankard until his knuckles turned white. This man could be dangerous.

"My name is Francis and I suppose I'm one of Arthur's few friends," Francis was perceptive enough to see the knight's growing wrath and quickly spoke to stem it. "I saved his life when he was young. His gesture of gratitude was to bite me. I believe we are once again in a similar situation."

Cautiously, Alfred sat at the table. He put the tankard down and leaned on his elbows. "Arthur never mentioned you."

"I doubt he would. He has a bad temper and a ridiculous habit of moving around to avoid me, on more than one occasion he has attempted to roast me. I usually leave him be as I prefer not to be singed ugly." Francis plucked a hair from his sleeve idly. His blue eyes lifted and met Alfred's, speaking seriously. "I do not wish for harm to come to Arthur. If I had then I would not have distracted the focus from you so that you can compose yourself. It would've only taken one word from me to make the villagers to grab their pitch forks and torches. I'm only trying to help you, as you aren't doing a very good job pretending you killed him."

"How did you meet?" Alfred's curiosity got the better of him.

"Arthur never told me what happened, although the events were clear enough to me. His nest had been discovered and raided. Since he himself was only a small thing he was easy to catch. Sometimes wealthy people will pay high prices for the capture of young dragons so that they can be tamed and stuck behind gilded cages. I rescued Arthur from this fate and gave him his freedom. I run into him occasionally and he has put up with me, however obligatory he feels that task is."

Although they had just met, there was something about Francis that made Alfred trust him. He felt his shoulders relax and Francis's smile grew as he took a sip of his drink.

"What do I do now?" Alfred asked.

"Drink, dance, be happy and celebrate. Tell as many crazy stories as you like, after a few drinks people will believe anything. Your silence will alert everyone that there is something wrong."

Just then the door burst open and people flooded out, some dancing their way out of the overfull tavern and into the open space of the yard. Many cheered when they saw the knight. Alfred glanced back toward Francis before taking his drink and standing, turning to the party with a grin on his face. He decided he could trust this stranger.

* * *

Alfred didn't get a chance to talk to Francis again for the rest of the day. The celebration didn't until very late at night and by then Alfred was too tired and too drunk to seek the man out and get more answers. Because of his service to the village, he had been given a free room for the night. It was the first time in weeks since he slept on a bed and he crashed onto it gratefully.

When Alfred woke the next morning, his head was pounded and his mouth was dry, his tongue shriveled painfully into itself. He shifted and something sharp poked him in the side, making him roll off the bed quickly and land on his butt. Groaning, he looked around for the source. He was alone. He pat his side and felt his fingers brush the sharp edge of the dragon tooth, still tucked safely into his belt. It had been passed through many hands that night, a trophy, but no one could deny it belonged to Alfred. Rubbing his head, Alfred stumbled to his feet and made his way out of the room. The tavern was still open, although there weren't many people still there, very likely at home nursing their own hangovers. Alfred managed to ask for water, which was provided and the kind cook brought out a broth to sooth his head. He was hunched over it when several men from the village approached his table.

"I hope you're faring well after your battle," one of them said. "You've done us all a great service and we will be eternally grateful to you."

Alfred only grunted in reply, preferring to finish the warm broth. He had barely managed to keep smiling last night, he didn't think he could stand another day of it.

"Tell me, young knight, how did you lose your armor?"

Alfred froze. Now he looked up, giving the men his full attention. For a moment, he couldn't find words. "Excuse me?"

"We noticed when you first arrived here you had armor on all the time, but now you are without it. I see no bag carrying it for you, so I simply wondered what happened."

"It got damaged during the fight," Alfred replied lamely.

The man didn't look convinced. "Did it now?"

Alfred didn't reply. He eyed the spokesman and his supporters. They were all tall with giant arms, farmers and workers. Their eyes were hard and looked down at him as if he had insulted their mothers.

"What of your sword? I've never seen a knight without his sword." The spokesman was blatantly interrogating him now.

"What do you want?" Alfred lost his patience.

"We want the truth," the man growled. He crossed his arms over his barrel chest. "If you admit to that you didn't kill the dragon right now then we'll let you go quietly. We don't take kindly to liars."

Ears ringing, Alfred glared at the man and stood up. "I wasn't lying! I defeated him-it! It's dead so no one has to worry about the dragon any more."

"You're just looking for credit, for free booze and drink, for the attention of our daughters! Is is the admiration that you crave, the fame, the women? Admit to us right now of your cowardliness."

"No! I don't care about any of that!"

"Then prove it," the man sneered tauntingly. "Prove it to us that you killed the dragon."

"I have-"

"Take us up the mountain to its lair and show us the dead beast!"

Alfred's heartbeat was the only thing he could hear for a moment, which was odd because he felt like he couldn't breathe. He should have known better to come back without his armor, without his sword. He had never found out what Arthur had done to it, no doubt kicked it into the underground lake with the armor. He was so stupid, so foolish to think everyone would simply believe him because of the tooth. Now Arthur was in more danger than ever and he didn't know what to do. Francis was no where in sight.

"I won't."

The man's eyes steeled and he stepped back, as if Alfred had confirmed his suspicions. "We're going up the mountain and we're going to find the dragon's corpse. If it is still alive, you'd better not be here by the time we come back."

As one, all the men turned to leave before flashing one last disgusted look at Alfred. The knight stood shaking, powerless. They thought he was simply a fraud who had camped for several nights in the woods before turning with whatever fossil he had found to trick people into believing he defeated a dragon. But the truth was so much worse than that and now Arthur's life was in danger once again. Maybe this would drive the villagers to kill the dragons themselves.

Before Alfred realized what he was doing, his feet moved and he ran out of the tavern after the group of men. Blood roared in his ears and he jumped on the nearest man, who went down at the unexpected burden. Alfred's fist found his head, the man squirmed, the others turned in shock. Then they are all on top of him, grabbing his thrashing arms and legs, yelling at him and hitting him. Alfred fought back mercilessly, he punched and kicked and screamed back. He couldn't let them go after Arthur. The fight didn't last long, it only took one blow to the head to knock him down into the ground. His vision blurred and darkened, but he wasn't unconscious. They took his arms and dragged him across the dirt street, opening the door to a shed and tossed him inside the makeshift prison. The first man he attacked took the pleasure of kicking him sharply in the ribs, followed by a spit, and the door closed. Alfred struggled to push himself up, threw his body weight against the door to open it, but the men had already barred it shut from the outside.

"No!" The cry was strangled and weak even to his ears, his head pounded and his limbs shook unsteadily.

"We'll be back to take care of you once we find the dragon!" Footsteps receded along the road, headed toward the mountain.

Alfred beat the door with his fists, but it was too late.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Sorry my updates have been so slow! My original plans for this fic have been completely thrown out of the window XD The story is rapidly reaching its close so hopefully I'll be able to write and upload the final chapter soon! It hasn't been my best story, but I hope everyone who has been reading it this far has enjoyed it. Thank you for reading, following, for your favorites, and for your reviews!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Twelve.**

Kicking aside the underbrush that got in his way, Alfred raced up the mountainside. Only a couple of feet beside him was Francis. The mysterious man apparently had spent a very pleasant evening with a charming lady and that had caused him to delay in the morning while Alfred was being interrogated. The knight was lucky Francis had decided to walk around the edge of town afterwards. It hadn't been long before he heard the beating of the shed door and Alfred's yelling. Once Alfred had been released, it took only a short minute for him to explain the whole story, Francis's face hardening in concern as he listened.

"Where does Arthur live now?" He asked urgently.

"A good way's up the mountain facing this side, it's a cave. The entrance is hidden in a rock formation."

"Wait here for me," Francis stood up to leave.

Alfred scrambled to his feet, ignoring the pain pounding through his head. The other man immediately grumbled softly and shook his head at the knight.

"No, stay. You're hurt and in no condition to help Arthur like this."

"We don't have time for this! It's not serious so let's just go!" Before Francis could stop him, Alfred broke off into a run toward the mountain.

The other man hadn't voiced his protests after that. Both knew the urgency of the situation, they had to save their laboring breath to climb up the mountain. The day dragged into the afternoon, the sun was high overhead but shielded by the thick coverage of the trees but neither of them stopped to rest. There was no time. Alfred had no idea how far ahead the townsmen were, but they had to know Arthur's approximate location. They had directed him when he had first come so many days ago, days that felt ages away.

The sky was bleeding red when Alfred could hear a thunderous roar echo down the mountain and shake the ground. At the intake of breath when the roar stopped, he could hear the shouts of men's voices, more faded and less powerful, but terrifying all the same. Redoubling his steed, Alfred tore through the the trees and left Francis's shout of warning far behind. The ground roses sharply before leveling out enough, rocks pocking up from the earth covering in dry moss, and Alfred suddenly skid to a stop as the most horrific sight was revealed. They had been too late. The men were aligned in a U formation, handmade spears and pitch forks and swords all at the ready. Arthur was cornered against a stone wall that rose higher up the mountain to form a ledge, one of his wings limp and bleeding a river of red. The green dragon roared again, his tail lashed, causing men to jump back away from him. They had him cornered. Without thinking, Alfred grabbed an apple sized rock and charged.

A crack filled the air as the knight brought the stone down on a man's skull, he dropped his pitch fork and crumpled to the ground without a sound. It was enough distraction for Arthur to slither through the gap and shoulder men off their feet. Chaos ensued after that, Alfred quickly lost track of everything. He had grabbed the pitch fork and swung the handle down on another man. He saw a glimpse of Francis grab a hold of a man with a sword who had tried to stab Arthur's hind leg. Instead of fleeing, Arthur remained in the fight, he snapped his jaws and swatted men aside as if they were nothing more than pesky flies.

Someone managed to deliver another blow to Alfred's head, he quickly rolled away and back onto his feet, but his sight flickered and he swayed unsteadily. He hadn't recovered from the first hit back in the village that had almost rendered him unconscious. Too late, he realized he had left himself vulnerable. The man who had first interrogated him stood several feet away, sword raised. He ran toward Alfred, who stood rooted in place. Then the world jerked, his feet were swept from under him and he was pressed against something warm and soft. A split second later the sickening sound of blade digging into flesh erupted by his ear, warm blood splattered like raindrops on his head.

Alfred suddenly screamed. Arthur groaned and collapsed, his forearm still curled protectively around the knight as he toppled forward. Alfred dimly heard Francis shout, but the noise of the fight died down rapidly until there was only the sounds of Arthur's agonized breathing. Blood pooled from the dragon's chest, where the sword was embedded hilt deep. The man responsible had stood frozen before taking a long step forward. He grabbed the sword and tugged. Alfred's vision turned red in pure rage and he struggled from under Arthur's arm. Before he could stand, there were hands on him, pulling him roughly to his feet and pinning his arms behind his back. The knight struggled but he couldn't escape, he could see Francis in a similar predicament from across the rocky clearing. The man finally pulled the sword from Arthur's chest with a wet squelch, then kicked his forearm straight out. A wicked gleam had entered his eyes.

"Now we'll have the final proof," he said. He brought the sword down on one of Arthur's claws, chopping the finger-like talon free of his foot. Arthur whimpered weakly, unable to even scream in pain.

Just like that Alfred and Francis were released, death threats were left unheard as the men departed back to their village, and soon only the two blond men were left standing over the dying dragon.

Alfred fell onto his knees, running his hand over the tiny scales that run across Arthur's cheek. His eyes burned until he could no longer see. "I'm sorry. If it wasn't for me this wouldn't have happened."

Arthur didn't reply.

Francis quickly stepped behind the knight. He reached for his own neck and tugged at his clothes, lifting a chain with an emerald pendant over his head. He spoke urgently. "Quickly, Alfred, give me something sharp."

"What?" Alfred blinked and looked up at him.

"We can save Arthur, but we don't have much time until he bleeds out. I need something sharp, something durable enough that can break this."

The knight stared dumbly at him. What good would breaking a jewel do? There was nothing they could do now. Then he remembered the fang still tucked into his belt. Pulling it free, he held it up toward Francis. "What about this?"

"Is that Arthur's?" Francis took the dragon tooth and nodded. "Yes, this will be perfect."

Alfred watched as Francis laid the jewel on a flat rock and then stabbed it with the bone. Unexpectedly, it shattered open and oozed a thick, acid green liquid, which Francis quickly scooped up into his hand. He returned to the dragon and pressed the ruined emerald into Arthur's chest wound, muttering something under his breath as his hands became bloodied. Arthur twitched in discomfort. Then Francis stepped back. Alfred's mouth fell open as the wound closed before his very eyes. He almost began to laugh in relief when Arthur suddenly howled and curled into himself.

"What did you do?!" Alfred whirled on the man, hands balling into fists.

Francis quickly raised his own hands, palms out. "You cannot expect Arthur to remain the same after such a wound. He will be saved, but he must live a new life. He can never return to the one he lost, the price is far too great now."

"What the hell does that mean?!"

"Watch."

Alfred turned back to the dragon and started. Arthur remained curled into himself, but he had shrunk a considerable size. His tail shortened rapidly until it disappeared into his spine, his arms and legs grew thinner and contorted, his torso shrank until it matched the size of an average man's, his wings folded into themselves and disappeared on his back. His neck also shrunk, his shoulders lifted, his head changed shape. Then the scales smoothed into skin, the color changed from vibrant green to a pale white. Shaggy blond hair sprouted from the now rounding scalp and the transformation was complete. Lying where the dragon had been was a man.

Releasing the breath he had been holding, Alfred leaned over him in disbelief. Then he saw the man's hand, fingers curling into his hair, the little finger of his right hand was only a stub, the same finger that had been cut off.

"Arthur?" Alfred's voice caught in his throat, strangling him.

The man slowly lifted his face up toward the knight, deep green eyes met sky blue.

* * *

 **~ One Year Later ~**

* * *

Alfred sat in front of a cozy fire, unbuckling his armor with one hand as he stared hungrily at the cooking rabbit skewered over the crackling flames. He yelped as pain flared up in his shoulder. "Ow!"

"Oh hush. It's your own fault for squirming so much," Arthur scolded as he dabbed as the cut on Alfred's arm.

"You're a bad medic," Alfred grumbled.

"You're a bad knight."

"What was I supposed to do, stand by and do nothing while baby dragons got carted off in cages? I thought you of all people would understand."

Arthur finished cleaning the wound and began to bind it in bandages. One of his large eyebrows lifted. "Alfred, you charged right into the middle of a band of traders. If it weren't for me you'd be lying by the side of the road bruised black and blue with the dragonlings long gone. You seriously need to start learning something called tact."

"Thanks a lot for helping. Is that what you wanna hear?"

Now Arthur smirked. "Maybe." He tore the end of the bandage and knotted it a little too tight around the knight's arm, making him hiss.

As Alfred removed the rest of his armor, Arthur turned to the fire and took the rabbit from over the flames. They ate in companionable silence, flickering light casting long shadows in the woods they took shelter in. Alfred's armor sat in a pile at the edge of their tiny camp, sword at his hip, and Arthur's staff laid beside the ex-dragon. The head of the staff had a green emerald embedded in it. Sheathed in Arthur's belt was a dagger with a beautiful black leather handle wrapped in thin strings of silver. The blade was unusually white and curved, like a fang.

"You never told me what the jewel does anymore. It can't be useful anymore, can it?"

Arthur stirred, glancing down at the staff before turning his gaze to the knight. "On the contrary, the jewel contains remnants of dragon blood. My blood. It's the source of power I use to fuel my spells. I can no longer access it to become what I once was, but it can be used in other ways. There's a flicker of life in there, yet a single drop of dragon's blood is enough to create great magic."

"Is that how you survived?" Alfred couldn't help but ask.

A year had passed since the dragon's transformation, but Arthur didn't like to talk about it. He clearly missed his old life, even if it had been a lonely one, and would often look to the skies longingly. Something inside Alfred would always chip away whenever he saw that look. It made him think he wasn't good enough for Arthur if he couldn't rid him of that desire. But the moment would pass, Arthur would turn to him and smile, and everything would be alright again.

"Essentially," Arthur sighed. He stood up and kicked the burning logs into embers. Despite being human, he had a strong resistance to heat, which had proved to be handy on multiple occasions. "We should sleep. We have a long way to travel tomorrow."

The two rolled out some blankets and settled for the night. Alfred laid on his back, one arm tucked under his head. In the dark he reached out and took a hold of Arthur's. Four fingers entwined around his. Alfred grinned. Even though Arthur was forced to sacrifice his body as a dragon in order to survive, Alfred was simply happy to have him by his side. Now the two could go anywhere they wanted, and they did, fighting against the age old prejudice concerning dragons. Alfred knew he wouldn't have been able to do it by himself, but with Arthur he could do anything.

 _ **End.**_

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Finished at last! Thank you everyone for reading, for the favorites, for the follows, and for your awesome reviews! This started out very plainly and I didn't succeed to surpass that, but oh well. I hope you all enjoyed this story and this chapter! I'm excited to take the experience I've earned in this story and use that knowledge to apply it to exciting new stories.**


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